On October 14, 2024, the Provincial Custody of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Tanzania celebrated the opening of a post-novitiate formation house in Morogoro, Tanzania. The new St Joseph Cupertino and Blessed John Duns Scotus Formation House can accommodate more than forty student friars.
The event began with Mass presided over by Friar Yeromini Miku MUNISHI. Others attending included some local friars, the postulants, members of the neighboring Friars Minor community, some Capuchin Franciscans and some lay Christians. After the Mass, Friar Anthony Bezo KUTIERO, the Assistant General for the African Federation of Conventual Franciscans, officially opened and blessed the house.
There are three friar formators living at the new house, along with seven student friars. Six of them are from Tanzania. The seventh is a friar in formation from Uganda who is studying theology at the nearby Jordan College. The day after the house was blessed, the friars of the Custody conducted their fraternal gathering there.
On October 15-16, 2024, the friars worked on drafting the Custodial Formation Directory, a document that will offer guidelines for formation in the Custody. Friar Anthony Bezo opened the fraternal gathering with a spiritual reflection. He reminded the friars that our Conventual Franciscan way of formation is founded on our search for Christ and conforming ourselves to Him. This was made vivid in St Francis’ life, when Christ imprinted His stigmata upon Francis’ body and soul. We can learn from the first disciples who followed Jesus as soon as He was introduced to them by John the Baptist, who said, “Behold the Lamb of God,” as we read in John 1:36. The Lord turned and saw them following Him and said to them: “What are you looking for?” This question remains fundamental for those on the path of both initial and continuing formation. The truth is, we must all accept His invitation, just as the first disciples did when He called them, saying: “Come, and you will see.” We are told they responded by going with Jesus and staying with him. Only by staying with Him are we able to conform ourselves to Him and thus talk about Him with others and bring them to Him.
Friar Stivin Richard KASHINJE, Custodial Secretary
